Use Due Time in Shift4 Dine

Description: Learn how to use the Due Time feature on Shift4 Dine to schedule when orders should be ready, helping teams manage time-sensitive orders across Workstations, kitchen printers, and Kitchen Display Systems.

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Note: This feature is currently available only for Pilot users.

Availability: Due Time is available for all Shift4 Dine merchants running Shift4 Dine version 1.123.0 or later.

For more information on manager controls, payment behavior, and Order Type settings related to Due Time, visit the Due Time Settings, Payments, and Manager Controls article.

Overview

The Due Time feature allows Shift4 Dine users to assign a specific time when an order should be ready. This helps kitchen staff prioritize preparation, improves communication between front-of-house and back-of-house teams, and ensures orders are completed at the expected time.

Due Time can be displayed and managed across:

• Workstations for Shift4 Dine
• Kitchen printers
• Kitchen Display Systems

This feature is commonly used for pickup, takeout, phone orders, and experience-based dining where precise timing is required.

When to Use Due Time

Use Due Time when:

• A guest requests an order at a specific time (for example, pickup or takeout)
• The kitchen needs visibility into time-sensitive orders

Setting a Due Time on a Ticket

A Due Time can be set on any open ticket, regardless of Order Type.

1. Open the ticket on the Workstation.
2. Select the kebab menu (⋮) on the open ticket.
3. Select Due Time.
   
4. Configure the Due Time using one of the following options:
   • Select a preset increment (+5 min, +10 min, +30 min, +1 hour).
   • Enter an exact time.
   • Select Round Up to the Hour.
   • Select Set Time to Now.
5. Select Set Due Time to save.
   

If no time is selected, Due Time defaults to the current time.

Note: Due Time must be set to a minimum of 1 minute in the future.

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Updating Due Time After Sending an Order

A Due Time can be updated multiple times after an order is sent, as long as the ticket remains open.

A new kitchen ticket will print if:

• A new item is added to the ticket
• Items are marked to "Resend" to the kitchen

A new kitchen ticket will not print automatically if the user only adjusts the Due Time. Kitchen tickets always update the Due Time in real time.

Where Due Time Appears

On the Workstation and Ticket Grid

• Due Time appears on open tickets and counts down to the Due Time
• Tickets can be sorted to show the earliest Due Times first
• Overdue tickets display PAST DUE and count up after the Due Time

Due Time on Kitchen Printers

By default, Due Time will not print on kitchen tickets when an order is sent with a Due Time. Managers can enable Due Time printing on specific printers via the printer configuration settings. To configure this, refer to the section "Configuring Due Time Printing Per Printer" in the Due Time Settings, Payments, and Manager Controls article.

Due Time can optionally print on:

• Guest checks
• Transaction receipts
  

This can be enabled under Manager > Settings > Hardware > Printers/Kitchen Display > Receipt Printer Settings.

Note: Separate settings exist for each receipt type.

Due Time on Kitchen Display Systems

• Due Time displays in the ticket header as "DUE"
• Updates made on the Workstation are reflected on Kitchen Display automatically

Important Notes and Limitations

• Due Time can only be set for the current business day (based on Business Settings in Shift4 Dine Customer Hub)
• Due Time does not delay kitchen printing. 
• Automatic prep-time-based Due Time suggestions are not currently supported. 
• Time format (12-hour or 24-hour) follows the site's regional settings. 
• Due Time printing can be enabled or disabled on a per-printer basis. Printers with Print Due Time turned off will not show Due Time on tickets, even if a Due Time is set on the order. 
• When Due Time is configured as required for an Order Type or Course, staff must enter a Due Time before the order can be sent or the ticket closed. There is no manager override to bypass this requirement.